Why can some metals be extracted from compounds by heating with carbon and why can some not

Some metals can be extracted from compounds by heating with carbon atom because they are less reactive than carbon and some metals cannot be extracted because they are more reactive than carbon atom.

Explanation: If the metal is less reactive than carbon atom so the carbon atoms make bond with oxide or other atom present with metal and the metal is free from that oxide or that element. But if the reactivity of metal is higher than carbon is unable to remove the oxide or element.